Week 22.30 Optimisim Obligation

Leaders have the obligation of optimism. Sometimes we hear the news and feel a sense of darkening skies and the oncoming storm of doom. The world is complex and presents seemingly insurmountable challenges in the near, middle, and long term. Climate change, political upheaval, the war in Ukraine, and inflation, to name but a few, are all real and significant challenges. With some of the problems, you can argue that other generations have had it worse (the World Wars were worse than ours, the Depression world than our current economic crisis). With others, such as global warming, are unprecedented and perhaps cataclysmic. I would argue that leaders don't have the luxury of pessimism and that one of the critical elements of a great leader (or even a good one) is to inspire hope and optimism in those they lead. It is incumbent on leadership to see, propose and act on a way forward.

Anyone has the potential to be an optimist, and leaders have the means to turn their optimism into a reality. No one is in a better position or with better motivation than leaders to want to make things better. Leaders have the resources to put to work and the mandate for growth. Business leaders have legions of employees they can motivate towards a positive outcome. Non-profit leaders have the potential to focus their work on inspired volunteers and staff to improve the lives and experiences of untold numbers of people. Even inspired leaders of social organizations can move their followers to make changes for the better. Leaders' success is defined by their ability during dire days call to find inspired ways to motivate and excite followers to action.?

Leaders have greater access to the instruments of change and have the agency to use them. The idea that everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked (Luke 12:48) shows up in the French Revolution and in Spiderman comics and is as accurate today as it ever was. Leaders who are given and entrusted to access resources, including people, money, and tools, are responsible for using them optimistically. History judges those who advance us favorably, and those who diminish us are judged harshly.

Kim Stanley Robinson in the EK podcast spoke of the necessity of optimism, in particular about the climate crisis, and I think it applies broadly. "Optimism... is a necessary political stance to take because we are in a position of privilege, and the situation can be saved. And given those two, it's a dereliction of duty to be pessimistic to be cynical, is just a chicken thing to do. We need to be strong in a moment of crisis by saying yes, it can be done. And if we're in a race between bad catastrophe and some kind of beginning prosperity for all, when you're in a race that intense, you don't want to sit down on the ground and start crying, oh, we've lost already, that would be a bad thing to do. Because you're in a race, you actually need to run as hard as you can if you lose the race."

As my friend Harry Kraemer famously says in his introduction to Perspectives in Leadership class at Kellogg business school, "You may be wondering who are those guys that do amazing things that change the world? Well, you are those guys! If not you, then who will be?" You can rightfully argue that there are those in "leadership roles" who paint a pessimistic picture of the world and rile up followers with anger. That is not leadership. Leaders set a vision and chart a course. Leaders know that those they lead and love depend on them and gather their support for a better life and a better world. Do not be fooled by the charlatans who claim to be leaders only to lead nowhere. True leadership and authentic leaders understand and deliver on their obligation to optimism.

The Value Miniseries to Honor Your Value and Know Your Strength from Charlene Wheeless

From renowned businesswoman and communications visionary Charlene Wheeless, in honor of Women’s Empowerment Month, comes a new video series to help you give yourself permission to realize your strength. The series is called Value and each video aligns to a point that she believes is critical to realizing and leaning into your value. V is for VISION A is for ACTION L is for LEARNING U is because it is time to focus on YOU, E is for EQUITY – LET’S NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT; LET’S BE ABOUT IT.

Chief Executive Podcast Mark Thompson in Conversation with Mike Kauffman

Mark Thompson sits down with executives, business thinkers, and industry leaders for insights on their careers and experiences on the Chief Executive Podcast. Mike Kaufmann, the CEO of Cardinal Health, is an inspiration in the healthcare industry, creating a culture for adapting and evolving to the rapidly changing health scene in the US. Mark Thompson is joined in this episode by Pranay Agrawal, Co-Founder, and CEO of Fractal Analytics, who is driving innovation and change in the AI sphere, among other industries. Mike, Pranay, and Mark talked about the changes in their company's work culture, business methodologies, and leadership for today's world.

How Boards Can Prepare for a Record Year of CEO Turnover By Jim Citrin

As succession planning halted between March-April 2020 (think: CEO and boards prioritizing stability during the pandemic), companies ought to anticipate that "pent-up demand and overdue leadership changes could slingshot to record CEO turnover in 2022-2023." Now, more than ever before, companies need a purpose-driven leader. According to Spencer Stuart, three-quarters of CEO specs from boards seek a candidate who has a track record of linking purpose to strategy to execution. One key example Citrin cited is John Donahoe, the CEO of Nike. Leveraging the global platform of Nike’s 50th anniversary, Donahoe redefined what an athlete is — if you have a body, you’re an athlete. This opened up a new side of the business by emphasizing the lifestyle aspect of the brand, as health and wellness help to drive positive social impact. This alignment and articulation of values, purpose, strategy, execution, and results exemplify the type of candidate many firms seek. The value of a purpose-driven leader also trickles down through the entire organization, as this leader excels at attracting and motivating talent; the best talent wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Get the whole report here